The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-01-21
Halloween in Ireland.

Halloween in Ireland.
One wild, clustering afternoon of the
last day OF October made my way as
best could across a stretch of billy
moorland, vainly hoping that might
meet with some one able to direct me
to my destination. Looking around, ]
perceived man waving his arm to
me, and as l approached him l noticed
that he was a piper--a fact of which
he soon Informed me bimself, adding
that he was on his way to Mr.. Connol.
Tvs farm to provide the music for the
dancing that was sue to follow the
regular Halloween festivities. 1t was
well he deserted me on the moor, for
if had proceeded further in the di-
rec.ion | had been following | would
have probably found myself founder
in the huge and treacherous bog called
in the neighborhood Red Mikes Rest.
On the way Larry O'Hara-for so ]
learned was the pipers name-gave me
much curious information about the
customs of Hallowmas Eve in that
part of Ireland, and as his account of
how the great bog from which had
narrowly escaped got it's name is ger
name to my subject, will give 1t here.
"Red Mike, your honor, was the
only son of Widow OFlaherty. He
was a queer one from his birth, an no
wonder, for he first saw the light
a-ween dusk an dark O Hallowmas
Eve. Hereabouts the people say that
ii baby be born on this night, in runs
a mighty good chance o bein possess
ed by some sproite or other; it may or
may not be true, dim sure it's beyont
the likes O. me to say whether soch
things are possible or not, but oi pW
say that Mike O'F'laherty was different
to other men from the first. He wor
always up TO some game, he wor, an
nivver for good--leastwqys | nivver
heard o amy good he iver did. He
lied and broke his troth TO man an wo-
man, an got into bad odor with priest
an magistrate, for nigh upon twelve
years after he came to manhood, until
the judgment O God came upon him.
One Hallow Eve he was at the house
O. the Flannigans, up by Glen Creach-
an. He was courtin Mary Flanagan.
though livery one on US knew she didn't
care two straws for Red Mike, but was
all aglow wi love for Larry O'Rourke,
the Limerick carrier. It's the custom
in these parts for the children to run
into the cabbage yard afore the
evenin' fun begins, an to pick out
number o cabbage stalks, an name
them arter any seven O the folk they
have anything TO do with then, hav-
ing finished wi the ohoosin', they
dance around the place.
Flannigan's childer, havin' finished
their song, ran into the house an
asked all the folk to come an see their
so,cls. Ould Flanagan pulled his cab
bage stalk, and Mrs. Flanagan hers,
an young Tim Flann.g gan his. an Mrs.
Tim hers, an purity Mary Flanagan
hers, and Larry O'Rourke his, until it
came to Mike OFlaherty's turn. The
stalks of all the others had been quite
clean au' white, but when Red Mike
pulled up his, it was all black and foul
wi worms an slugs, an wi a real bad
smell ahint it. Larry O'Rourke laugh.
e1, an Mary Flanagan giggled, an the
others all looked moighty consarned.
Nike glared about him for moment,
more like a mad bull or hayihin Turk
nor Christian. Then he up ar SAYS:
'Ye may laugh, Larry O'Rourke, but
yell not be laughin long; ay, ye may
snigger, Mary, but yell be cryin' for
nanny q day, when yar lovers below
the sod, as he will be before the years
out. AS for you, ould Flanagan, you
an your son an all that belong to We
will have cause to curse the day when
ye Knocked Red Mike, as ye call me. Ye
forget l was born on Hallow Eve (!
I've the gift O the sight, have, and
on this day my curse can blast what
ever choose. Wha' more Red Mike
would have said / don't know, but at
that moment Father O'Connor came
up to where all was stan'in'. Curses
come home to roost, says he to O'Flah-
erty, in starn voice, IAN it's you
that'll suffer, Mike O'Flaherty, an no
one here. Get ye gone at once, or I'll
put the word on ye. I'll go whan
choose, Father O'Connor, says Red
Mike, surlily. The next moment the
priest drew orucfix from his breast,
sayin' to O'Flaherty that even if he
wor in league wi the devil, he could
not withstand that. Mike gave a
howl jist loike wild baste an thin
turned an ran down the glen as fast as
be could. Ould Thady King, the
| piper (uow dead, God rest his sowl y
wor crossing this moor that night, an
who should he see but Red Mike dan
Gin an shoutin like mad, an screamin'
in mortal fear. Mike Nike ould
Thady cried; but O'Flaherty paid no
attention to him, but kept on screamin'
an sometimes shoutin ont, My time
is up my time is up Suddenly he
bent forrard an' ran like the wind, took
one great leap, an disappeared into
the ground as if he had jumped into
the sea. Nothin more wor ever seen
O Red Mike, ledst,cise as a man. An
that's why the great bog yonder is
called Red Mikes Rest. WILLIAM
SHARPE, IN Harpers Magazine,